Teachers in Fife back Scotland teaching union school safety dispute

Teachers in Fife have voted overwhelmingly in favour of declaring a formal dispute with their employers Fife Council over failure to provide a safe working environment for staff in light of the continuing threat from the coronavirus pandemic.
By Hannah Brown
Published 16th Dec 2020, 11:16 BST
Teachers in Fife back union in dispute over safety concerns in schools across Scotland.Teachers in Fife back union in dispute over safety concerns in schools across Scotland.
Teachers in Fife back union in dispute over safety concerns in schools across Scotland.

Based on a 53% turnout, 90% of teachers in Fife voted in favour to back the dispute headed by the EIS, Scotland’s largest teaching union.

Fife joins Glasgow and West Dumbartonshire in supporting the movement which seeks an urgent response from local authorities regarding the safety concerns of teachers in schools across Scotland.

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Larry Flanagan, EIS General Secretary said: “These votes are clear evidence of the anxieties teachers feel with regard to school Covid security.

“Teachers want to see schools open but not at all costs. Both the Scottish Government and local authorities should be transparent in setting out the benchmarks which would trigger a move to remote or blended learning.”

A number of ballots to back the dispute in other local authorities remain open.

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Related topics:TeachersFife CouncilFifeScotlandEISScottish Government